After an incredible FIFA Women’s World Cup™ 2023 final last night and Spain taking home the trophy, the history-making event with Adelaide/Tarntanya as one of nine host cities has kicked goals for the state.
More than 87,000 fans packed into the city’s fan sites, the FIFA Fan Festival™ at Festival Plaza and the pop-up live site at The Drive, across the month-long tournament and even more into hospitality venues across the state.
This is on top of the sold-out matches and television broadcast records, and the multi-million-dollar commitment from the State Government to ensure the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ campaign leaves a lasting legacy.
As a host city for the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ 2023, the goals kicked for South Australia include:
On the pitch
- Five sold-out matches at Hindmarsh Stadium including one Round of 16
- 65,757 attendees experiencing the world game at Hindmarsh Stadium
- 53.9 million viewers in China watched the China PR v England match played at Hindmarsh Stadium – the highest reach for a single match anywhere in the world in the tournament
- Hosted teams from England, China PR, Brazil, France, Morocco, Korea RP, Haiti and Panama
- Panama and China PR teams called South Australia home for their time in the tournament with Adelaide selected as their base camp.
Fan experience
- More than 87,000 fans experiencing the two fan sites – the FIFA Fan Festival at Festival Plaza which offered an official FIFA World Cup experience over the duration of the tournament, and the pop-up live site created at The Drive for the Matildas semi-final
- First time the FIFA Fan Festival has been part of a FIFA World Cup – a resounding success, with a full capacity of the site for the Australia v England semi-final and a program of entertainment including free concert series, dance and cultural performances, and a showcase of the state’s culinary scene drawing crowds
- Pubs and clubs across the state saw an increase in trade in what is traditionally a much quieter period, according to the Australian Hotels Association SA (AHA SA), with matches like the Australia v England semi-final particularly important for boosting mid-week trade.
Lasting legacy
- $53 million redevelopment of Hindmarsh Stadium
- An $18 million commitment from the Malinauskas Government to create better accessibility to sport for women and girls. $10 million of that money has been quarantined for soccer with Football SA agreeing to match the funding through a range of sources including clubs, Football Australia, Local and Federal government, securing at least $28 million for women’s and girls’ sport in SA.
- 1000 attendees at the sold-out gender equity symposium, The Power of Her
- $1 million of FIFA Women’s World Cup Legacy funding announced in 2022, enabling Football South Australia to employ development officers in the Adelaide Hills, Eyre Peninsula, Riverland and Limestone Coast.
Minister for Tourism, Zoe Bettison said hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Adelaide really has been a once-in-a-generation opportunity and South Australians have thrown their support right behind it.
“From sold-out matches and a television audience record at our very own Hindmarsh Stadium, to huge numbers of fans heading to the fan sites and filling pubs and clubs across South Australia – this tournament has provided an important boost to our visitor economy and has put our state on the world stage,” Minister Bettison said.
“On top of this, we’ve seen teams and international media making the most of their time here for the tournament – from China PR team visiting Adelaide Zoo and the Art Gallery to media from France experiencing Cleland Wildlife Park. This is a huge bonus for tourism in South Australia, as they go back and share their experiences with family and friends in what are some of our key markets.
“It’s been wonderful to see our state benefit greatly from this history-making World Cup and shows exactly why we go out hard to secure major events and invest in our calendar year-round.”
Minister for Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing, Katrine Hildyard said South Australia’s role in hosting the magnificent FIFA Women’s World Cup, the record-breaking way the state and country has embraced it and the legacy created is absolutely remarkable.
“This tournament has been a once in a generation opportunity to shift attitudes, unify and bring people together and advance gender equality,” Minister Hildyard said.
“And South Australia has proudly embraced this transformational moment.
“Alongside support for the games, more than 1,000 people flocked to the outstanding Power of Her women in leadership symposium and left determined to progress lasting change, participation in football has exponentially grown and our State Government is proudly investing $18 million to ensure girls and women can access the sporting facilities they need and deserve.
“We will continue to build on this legacy through harnessing the power of this incredible tournament in ways that make a difference to girls and women, to sport, to clubs across our state. Sport has changed forever and we will embrace all that is possible.”
CEO Australian Hotels Association SA, Anna Moeller said the FIFA Women’s World Cup, particularly the incredible success of the Matildas, has been a welcome sugar hit for hotels across the state.
“Bars and beer gardens have been the beneficiaries of the Matildas fever that has swamped the nation, happening at what would be a much quieter time of year for venues,” Ms Moeller said.
